DIP type connector structures such as HDMI connectors have connector pins that are fine pitched for surface mounting onto, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The DIP type HDMI structures are typically surface mounted using a legacy wave soldering process. However, the defect rate of the solder connections when using the legacy wave soldering process can be high thereby impacting solder connection reliability and overall performance of the DIP type connector structures. Additionally, such defects caused by the legacy wave soldering process can be costly to correct because of the additional reworking and testing required.
To eliminate the high defect rate of the DIP type connector structures manufactured using legacy wave soldering, a Pin In Paste (PIP) soldering process has be implemented, which can typically provide improved solder connection quality. However, the conventional DIP type connector structures have exhibited solder wetting difficulty during the reflow step of the PIP soldering process. For example, the conventional DIP type connector structures include material, components, or structures on a surface and proximate to the connector pins that can block the reflow air convection and press the solder paste thereby impacting solder connection quality during the PIP soldering process.
Thus, it would be useful and a significant improvement over the relevant technology to provide a single or dual port DIP type connector structure such as an HDMI connector that does not include material, components, or structures on a surface that can block the reflow air convection or press the solder paste, which provides improved solder connections when implementing a PIP soldering process.